ASSEMBLY, No. 6031

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

218th LEGISLATURE

INTRODUCED DECEMBER 5, 2019

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman  NANCY J. PINKIN

District 18 (Middlesex)

Assemblyman  WAYNE P. DEANGELO

District 14 (Mercer and Middlesex)

SYNOPSIS

     Requires public institution of higher education to refund course tuition and fees to certain service members and to permit late registration for veterans and service members. 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

An Act concerning access to higher education for veterans and service members, and supplementing chapter 62 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes. 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

     1.  a.  As used in this section:

     "Service member" means an individual who is serving on active duty as a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, a Reserve component thereof, or the National Guard.

     "Veteran" means an individual who served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States, a Reserve component thereof, or the National Guard, and who was honorably discharged or released under honorable circumstances from active service.

     b.    In the event that a service member enrolled in a course at a public institution of higher education is unable to complete a course due to deployment, reassignment, or other military obligation, the institution shall issue a full refund of tuition and fees attributable to that course to the service member.

     c.     Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, each public institution of higher education shall establish policies and procedures to permit the late registration of a student who is a veteran or a service member upon the student's return from deployment, reassignment, or other military obligation.  The institution shall not charge a late fee or similar penalty on a registration submitted pursuant to this subsection. 

     Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to require any public institution of higher education to admit a student or to waive its admission standards.

     2.    This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to the first full academic year following the date of enactment.

STATEMENT

     This bill provides that, in the event that a member of the Armed Forces, a Reserve component, or the National Guard enrolled in a course at a public institution of higher education is unable to complete a course due to deployment, reassignment, or other military obligation, the institution must issue a full refund of tuition and fees attributable to that course to the service member.

     The bill also directs each public institution of higher education to establish policies and procedures to permit the late registration of a student who is a veteran or a service member upon the student's return from deployment, reassignment, or other military obligation.  Under the bill, the institution cannot charge a late fee or similar penalty on a registration submitted pursuant to the bill's provisions.